ManEx has several tools to facilitate communication between departments, shifts, and days.

• Related Documentation* - The related documentation button in production is part of the Product Data Management (PDM) module. It allows users to attach numerous files and file types and electronically control documents for a given assembly.  This means production always has the latest information and can easily access it from any terminal.
  
  
• Shop Floor Tracking Notes - Production workers are able to document notes and issues related to all work centers in a job, specific work centers in a job, and specific work centers across all jobs. Notes are flagged to make users aware as they click on affected work orders and work centers.  This ensures they have the latest information and it is not lost between jobs, departments, shifts, and days. 
  
  
• Work/Special Instructions* - In addition to related documentation, users can add work instructions and special instructions for each work center in the routing for every assembly. This ensures the needed information is readily available and current.
  

NE Company loaded all of their documentation into the PDM module* and started utilizing the numerous notes within the shop floor tracking module.

Employees were able to learn and become comfortable with these tools. These practices were carried into the second shift and enabled better communication between shifts. It also enabled production to better communicate with production management and ensure documentation was complete and accurate.

While it is difficult to quantify the benefits from this process change, they have noticed a reduction in production delays and defects as they leveraged the wealth of information well documented within the system.